The Importance of Discernment

Thank you for listening to this message from the ministry of Morse Corner Church in Leverett, Massachusetts. Morse Corner is a non-denominational church that is committed to the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our church was founded in 1896 by two students of the famous evangelist D .L. Moody. We seek to encourage and edify the body of Christ through the proclamation of God's word through the ministries of the local church.

If you'd like more information, visit our website, morsecornerchurch .com. We hope you enjoy the message. Turn in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of 2 Timothy. 2 Timothy chapter 4. And the title of this morning's message is, The Gift of Discernment.

What Discernment Is and Why the Church Needs It

The Gift of Discernment. So, what is discernment? Basically, discernment is the ability to be able to tell the difference between truth and error. To be able to identify that which is from God above versus that which is from below.

So, those who have the gift of discernment, what do they do? They bring clarity to the church. And they are able to offer warnings and words of caution. Able to identify dangers that threaten both the doctrinal and spiritual unity of the church.

Now, before we read this, according to Paul in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, he says that discernment is a spiritual gift. And like the other spiritual gifts, in order for the church to be operating on all cylinders, the gifts need to be exercised.

So, the gift of discernment needs to be exercised in the local church. And I would say we need it now perhaps more than ever because spiritual deception, this is my opinion. You can disagree if you want.

I believe spiritual deception is at an all-time high. And as we move closer and closer to the end times, it's only going to get worse. So, the best way to counter spiritual deception is with spiritual discernment.

So, look at what the apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy chapter 4. He tells his protege, Timothy, who is a young pastor. He says in verse 2, Timothy, preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season.

Convince, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers.

And they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables. My friends, this describes modern evangelical Christianity perfectly. People want teachers, not preachers. And they want that because preachers tend to challenge people.

You can teach someone something and they don't have to do anything about it. Preachers will challenge people. People don't want to be challenged, generally speaking. And people certainly don't want to be rebuked.

What do people want? They want their ears tickled, right? They want, instead of sound doctrine, they want someone to tell them what they want to hear. Many within the modern evangelical church, they want to be entertained.

They do not want the unadulterated preaching of God's word. For those of us who have the gift of discernment, that is painfully obvious. Can I get an amen? Now, those who do not have the gift of discernment, they don't see what all the fuss is about.

Discernment, Truth, and Exposing Error

All right, well, let's look up some passages. Turn to the book of Proverbs, Proverbs chapter 2. And as you're turning there, let me say this. Christians who are discerning are often criticized for being critical.

Which, if you think about it, if you're criticizing someone for being critical, you're doing the same thing that you're objecting to. But that happens. They say, well, you're just being critical. Well, here's what it comes down to.

It comes down to the truth.

The truth.

Taking what people are saying in the name of God and comparing it to the word of God. And when you do that, you're going to find out that what some people are preaching and teaching is not correct. And when you point that out, some people don't like that.

So then you get criticized. But here's the thing. Discernment is necessary. Pointing out error is necessary.

Jesus did it.

Paul did it. John did it. The Old Testament prophets did it. So it's about defending the church, defending the truth. That's what this is all about. And we are living in a generation that rejects truth.

You've heard of this postmodernism, that there's no such thing as absolute truth. So we live in a generation that has rejected truth. And when they hear the truth, it sounds like hate. And it has been said that the truth sounds like hate to those who hate the truth.

So discernment is about truth. And when we find ourselves in a battle for truth, we must expose error for what it is. One quick verse before we read Proverbs. Ephesians 5 .11 says that we are to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.

But rather we are to do what? Reprove them, expose them, the new King James says. That requires discernment and it requires wisdom. And Proverbs is a book of wisdom. Look at chapter 2, verses 1 through 5.

Solomon writes, my son, if you receive my words and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding. Yes, if you cry out for discernment and lift up your voice for understanding.

If you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord. And find the knowledge of God. So we see that we need discernment. For the fear of the Lord and the knowledge of God, we need discernment.

And we see discernment, wisdom, the knowledge of God, it all goes hand in hand. Now here's a question for you. This is Solomon writing this. Where did Solomon receive his wisdom?

The Lord.

And as Solomon is writing the book of Proverbs, we see, if you read through it, you see he mentions the law again and again and again. His wisdom was from the Lord, but it was rooted in the law of God, the Mosaic law.

So here's the point. Many modern evangelicals, instead of looking to what the Bible clearly teaches, because many have rejected the law, they don't like the law. So instead of looking to what the Bible actually says, many modern Christians go on feelings and emotions.

And when you go on feelings and emotions, you will always bend to popular opinion. If you're not standing on the word of God, you will bend to popular opinion. Once you stop testing all things, as Paul said, this was part of the scripture reading, 1 Thessalonians 521, test all things, hold fast to that which is good.

Once you stop testing all things against the revealed word of God, Solomon, this is the Old Testament, right? When Paul was writing 1 Thessalonians, what was it? The Old Testament was the only scripture that existed at that point.

So when we stop comparing things and testing them against the word of God, then we will go astray if we fail to do that. So if you ignore God's law, and again, many Christians, they don't like the law.

They want to ignore the Old Testament. If you ignore God's law, here is what will happen. The truth will be slain in the streets. And to add insult to injury, it will all be done in the name of love. But of course, they have to redefine the term love.

Biblical Love, False Prophets, and the Bereans

So let's turn to Proverbs 15. Discernment is necessary, it is critical. As you're turning there, let me quote another verse, 1 John 4, verse 1. He says, Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

I've said this before, I'll say it again, and I'll say it at some point in the future, I'm sure. False prophets, this is a major theme that runs throughout the Bible. Whether it's the book of Deuteronomy, the book of Jeremiah, it's in the Gospels.

Jesus warned about it, Paul warned about it, Peter warned about it, John warned about it, Jude warned about it. And the Bible ends with what? Revelation, which warns about the beast and the false prophet.

So false prophets have always existed, and you know what, they are in the church today. They are absolutely in the church today. And to recognize them and their erroneous doctrine, what do you need? Discernment.

You need discernment. Proverbs 15, starting in verse 20. A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish man despises his mother. Folly is joy to him who is destitute of discernment, but a man of understanding walks uprightly.

Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established. So today, the church and Christians, we can learn something. We should learn something from Solomon, who the Bible says, at least at this point, he was what?

The wisest man who ever lived. So what do we learn from him here? Those who are destitute of discernment, those who have no discernment, what are you going to get when you lack discernment? He says, folly, you're going to get folly, absurdity, madness, recklessness.

My friends, we need discernment. Today, more than ever, we need discernment. The apostle Paul says in Philippians chapter 1, verse 9. In this I pray that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment.

I had mentioned a moment ago how love is being defined. You don't need me to explain this to you. But instead of a biblical definition for love, and remember, God's the author of love. The Bible says God is love.

But instead of love as God defines it, what do we have? People take the term and they inject their own meaning, their own thoughts, their own ideas about what they think love should be. And in the process, every sin and immorality is currently being embraced all in the name of love.

But what does Paul say? I pray that your love may abound more and more. That's true, but it needs to be in all knowledge and discernment. Here is a very practical way every Christian can be discerning.

If you're just willing to do a little work. You know, shooting off an opinion, that doesn't take any work at all. We can all do that. This will take a little work, but this is what we should all be doing.

Acts 17, verse 10. Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica.

Now, do you want to be fair-minded? Say amen if you do.

Amen.

Okay.

These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica. And that they received the word with all readiness and searched the scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Think about this.

They heard the apostle Paul, and they still tested what he said against the revealed word of God. And they were called noble for doing that. So if you want to be considered noble by the Lord, do these two things.

Receive the preaching with all readiness. And then number two, search the scriptures to make sure these things are true. This is why we always encourage you to carry your Bibles with you. Carry your Bible with you.

During the sermon, have it open. When I turn to a passage, you should turn to that passage. Make sure what I'm saying is in line with what's on the page. Whether it's this pulpit or any other, whether it's something you see on TV or radio, it needs to be tested against the word of God.

I take it a step further. Everything you hear in your life, everything out there, your friends, any thought that pops into your head, everything should be filtered through the word of God. You say everything?

Everything.

Every single thing should be tested against the word of God. So if you go home and you turn on CNN, filter it through the word of God. If you go home and turn on Fox News, filter it through the word of God.

A thought pops into your head. Filter it through the word of God. Christians must be discerning. So search the scriptures, incline your ears toward the truth, test all things. If you do that, you will never be led astray.

Thanks for listening.

I'm Pastor Michael Grant from Morris Cornick Church. If you'd like to listen to the complete message or if you'd like more information about the ministry, visit our website. MorrisCornickChurch .com. We'd love to have you join us some Sunday morning here in Leverett.

Until next time, may the grace of God be with you.